USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg counts down to the start of the college football season team by team from No. 128 to No. 1.

There are easier things than being an Illinois fan. Rocket science, for example, or understanding the dense principles of general relativity, running a four-minute mile, writing the Great American Novel and scaling Mount Everest, to name a few.

It's the sheer unpredictability of it all. Every day is opposite day for Illinois; what's up is down, good is bad, left is right, and rarely – if ever, and I mean ever – does Illinois do exactly what most expect Illinois to do. Are the Illini expected to challenge for the Rose Bowl? Plan on staying home in December. Is Illinois pegged for last in the Big Ten? The year might not end in Pasadena, but hey, the Illini won't be that bad.

But this much we know: Illinois will be interesting, for better or worse, and Illinois will surprise – again, for better or worse. Only once in the last century have the Illini won at least eight games in back-to-back years. Illinois went to the Sugar Bowl in early 2002 and won a combined 13 games during the next five years; Illinois went to the Rose Bowl in early 2008 and went 8-16 during the ensuing two seasons.

The issue in 2014: Illinois is getting some love. The worst days are behind the Illini and third-year coach Tim Beckman, most say, and this specific team has the experience – and the schedule – to break into bowl eligibility. This would be great elsewhere. But we know what happens when the Illini have nice things.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION:

Here's a question: In how many games will Illinois be favored? Not many. A team with title aspirations would love to have that home slate, in a sense. A struggling team like Illinois, on the other hand, won't have an easy road through 2013. I wouldn't be surprised if the Illini took one home game against a stronger opponent, since that happens every year, but there's a strong chance that the Illini win only a single home against FBS competition all season.

2013 RECAP:

In a nutshell: An improved team, though improved relative only to the disaster that was Beckman's debut. Illinois won four games, three in September, one by 28 points against a strong – if bipolar – nine-win Cincinnati team. But then the calendar turned to the Big Ten; then it all seemed so familiar. The Illini's lone league win would come against Purdue, which had its worst season in a century. Only two conference losses came by single digits: Penn State and Northwestern. Six Big Ten opponents scored at least 37 points, paced by Ohio State's 60-point explosion, while nine opponents in total scored at least 34 points. This is how a team that upped its own scoring total by 78% – from 200 to 356 points – still lost eight games.

High point: That 45-17 win against Cincinnati. It wasn't a tone-setter, as some might have suggested at the time; Illinois did go on to lose its first six Big Ten games. But the win did show how the Illini can click when the offense and defense work in concert.

Low point: Another extended losing streak during Big Ten action.

Tidbit: Illinois' win against Purdue snapped the program's 20-game losing streak in Big Ten play. The longest active conference losing streak now belongs to those Boilermakers, who bring an eight-game slide into the 2014 season. The longest winning streak belongs to Michigan State, and it's by a landslide: MSU has won 10 in a row – the finale in 2013, all nine a year ago – with Iowa, at three in a row, a distant second.

Tidbit (recruiting edition): Illinois has largely failed to gain a recruiting foothold within its home state, with one significant exception: Aaron Bailey, now a sophomore quarterback, was ranked among the top 150 players nationally in the class of 2013. But this most recent signing group included no players ranked among the top 15 inside Illinois, per Rivals.com, and only one player inside the top 20 – the state's 20th-best prospect, according to the recruiting site. So who runs this state? Only one program has inked one of the state's top-five recruits in each of the last two cycles: LSU.

Offense: Illinois' most promising quarterback prospect in a decade – if not, you know, decades – has already grabbed a firm hold on the starting job. This is to the surprise of no one: Wes Lunt was the heir apparent since the day he arrived on campus, after claiming and then losing the starting job as a true freshman at Oklahoma State, and his ascension to the starting role – if absolutely expected – comes with the fanfare and acclaim reserved only for those quarterbacks with the ability to alter a program's general direction. What can he do for Illinois? Let's keep it simple: Lunt can make every throw in the book, can stretch the field, can operate a quick-moving, quarterback-based system and can lift an off-and-on passing game to a level not seen in Memorial Stadium in, yes, decades.

Let's also remember that he's not your traditional first-year starter. Lunt won the job in Stillwater as a rookie, edging both J.W. Walsh and Clint Chelf, and started the Cowboys' first two games before going down to injury; in his one notable start, Lunt threw for 437 yards and four scores in a 59-38 loss at Arizona. He then joined Illinois a season ago, spending last fall learning the tricks of the trade in coordinator Bill Cubit's offense – giving the sophomore a crash course in Illinois' system, which came in handy once he regained eligibility during spring drills. My basic point: In terms of pure talent and experience in what Illinois wants to do offensively, Lunt is ahead of the curve. How quickly he can translate these assets into production hinges in part on Cubit, who needs to fit this offense around his new quarterback, as well as on Lunt himself, who has every skill to succeed but likely needs time to develop an all-around game.

But the future under center is blindingly bright. Lunt's strong arm opens up every nook and cranny of Cubit's playbook, giving the Illini a widespread, touch-every-corner approach to the passing game; Cubit loves these strong-armed options, as shown during his stint at Western Michigan. The Illini also return Aaron Bailey, a four-star prospect with the mobility to carve out a side role either behind or alongside Lunt, should that be an option Cubit will consider. In my mind, it's a no-brainer: Bailey is too talented to leave collecting dust on the sidelines – and giving the sophomore a spot with the offense may keep him with the program, of course. But the focus is on Lunt, and deservedly so. If he can control Illinois' pacing and tempo, look for the transfer to make significant strides as the new starter.

The ground game will again be led by junior Josh Ferguson (779 yards), a viable every-down back whose pass-catching skills – 50 receptions last fall – should make him one of Lunt's early security blankets. Ferguson could be even more productive on the ground when teamed with an explosive downfield passing game, one that forces the back seven to creep away from the line of scrimmage. It's the same rotation as a season ago: Ferguson leads, senior Donovonn Young (376 yards) chips in when needed and sophomore Devin Church is ready in reserve.

Josh Ferguson, Illinois' leading returning rusher, adds great value out of the backfield as a pass catcher.(Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports)

In terms of a starting five, this offensive line is very easily the best of Beckman's tenure. Note the caveat: Illinois is solid and experienced among the starting quintet – if a bit unproven at right tackle – but lacking in depth on the second tier, and I wonder how well this group would stand up against the Big Ten if one of the top four missed an extended amount of time due to injury. Focus on the positives: Illinois returns left tackle Simon Cvijanovic, left guard Michael Heitz and center Alex Hill, all seniors, along with junior right guard Ted Karras, who may be the best of the bunch. That leaves right tackle, where the Illini should end up with sophomore Austin Schmidt. Again, depth is my major concern. Illinois will make use of sophomore Joe Spencer, who has the ability to flex between multiple positions, but the line will need a boost from redshirt freshman Christian DiLauro and junior Chris O'Connor to roll out an adequate and dependable second tier. That may be too much to ask. Keep an eye on Schmidt, since Illinois could shuffle the lineup – with Heitz moving outside – if he can't handle the load.

Defense: The immediate impact of February's signing class will be felt most on offense, particularly at the receiver position – more below. But one new addition stands out on defense: JUCO transfer Carroll Phillips will be tasked with replacing Houston Bates as Illinois' hybrid end-linebacker, one of the pivotal spots on the defensive side of the ball. Will he be up to the challenge? Well, he'd better be. If not, Illinois would need to cobble together some pressure from senior DeJazz Woods and sophomore Dawuane Smoot, and neither seemed likely a viable option coming out of the spring. Another JUCO transfer, Jihad Ward, should start at end, where he'd back up junior Kenny Nelson, but he has the size to dabble inside in certain packages. The big story up front: Illinois has solid depth, if no single linemen worthy of double-teamed attention. Look for Phillips and Nelson to start at end, flanking senior Austin Teitsma and junior Teko Powell, while Woods, Smoot, Ward, Paul James, Joe Fotu and Jarrod Clements round out the second tier. It's a taller, deeper, perhaps more athletic group – but much does depend on Phillips on the edge.

Kenny Nelson (58) projects at a starter at defensive end along a retooled Illini line.(Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports)

The Illini lose Jonathan Brown, a disruptive presence on the weak side, and will retool on the second level around junior Mason Monheim (97 tackles, 6.5 for loss), an all-conference contender in the middle. The staff has a few options in replacing Brown: Ralph Cooper, who might hold the post-spring edge, along with sophomore T.J. Neal and junior Mike Svetina. No one of these potential starters will come close to matching Brown's ability to upset timing in the backfield. One player who could, however, is senior Earnest Thomas (101 tackles), who will move from safety to the Illini's star position, a hybrid linebacker-defensive back. That move adds major speed into the box.

Mason Monheim is the linchpin of Illinois' linebacking corps after a 2013 season in which he made 97 tackles and 6.5 for losses.(Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski, USA TODAY Sports)

It's a sophomore-heavy secondary. One, Taylor Barton, will step into Thomas' shoes at strong safety. Illinois will team Barton with senior free safety Zane Petty (75 tackles), who brings experience to the table – needed among this group – but must do a better job patrolling the back end; Illinois allowed 44 completions of 20 or more yards last fall, fourth-most in the Big Ten, and 18 plays of 30 or more yards, tied for second-most. It'll be juniors Eaton Spence (49 tackles) and V'Angelo Bentley at cornerback, the latter a promising athlete, but I imagine Spence could shift to safety if the Illini's many sophomores step forward before the opener. Here's where you see the sophomores, currently backing up the starters across the board, and it may just be a matter of time until one or two move into starting roles.

Special teams: I wouldn't call junior kicker Taylor Zalewski or senior punter Justin DuVernois the best in the Big Ten at their respective positions, but I'm not sure if any team in the conference has as trustworthy a kicking pair. That counts for something. Add Bentley to the mix at returner – he's easily one of the league's best – and Illinois' special teams are no longer a constant nuisance. In many cases, in fact, the Illini will hold a clear advantage.

Wide receiver: Illinois' top four receivers are gone – farewell and goodbye, Steve Hull – leaving Cubit, Lunt and this passing game rebuilding behind a cast thin on game-day experience. As such, a pair of targets stand out: Martize Barr (26 receptions for 246 yards) and Justin Hardee. Barr's a former JUCO transfer who hit the ground running last fall, making 20 grabs in the Illini's first six games, before tailing off down the stretch; such a disappearing act – even if more about the play of those seniors than Barr's own talent – can't occur in 2014. Hardee, meanwhile, seemed a promising talent as a freshman before falling out of favor a year ago. Joining this pair are several newcomers: Geronimo Allison, a JUCO transfer who enrolled early, making the most of that opportunity; true freshman Mikey Dudek, another early enrollee who impressed during the spring – and that may be putting it lightly; and JUCO transfer Tyrin Stone-Davis, who was unable to join the Illini for spring drills and may be behind the curve come fall camp. Add senior tight ends Matt LaCosse (20 for 237) and Jon Davis (25 for 208) into the mix and you have enough bodies to make this work, though experience remains a significant concern. What would be disappointing: Illinois locates a strong-armed, next-level quarterback but is unable to surround him with the necessary pieces in the passing game. There's a ton of pressure on the newcomers to deliver.

GAME(S) TO WATCH:

Washington: With Purdue, Minnesota and Penn State coming to Memorial Stadium, a perfect mark during non-conference play will leave the Illini in a great position to claim bowl eligibility. That makes Washington a big one: Illinois shouldn't have too much trouble with home dates against Youngstown State, Western Kentucky and Texas State, but that road trip to Seattle will provide a stern test.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION:

In a nutshell: There are two ways this can go. One: Illinois lacks balance on offense, has no prayer on defense and scuffles its way through the Big Ten, finding itself at or near the bottom of the West Division – again among the league's worst. Two: Illinois' newer look – at quarterback, receiver, defensive line – yields a strongly improved performance, making the Illini an easy bowl team and one of the Big Ten's most pleasant surprises. Where you stand might depend on your level of faith in the program, this team and this coaching staff; it also depends on your willingness to believe a team fresh off six wins in a two-year span can match that magic number in 2014.

It's hard to get on board. Issues? Illinois has several, beginning with its in-progress defense. In my mind, the line is deeper despite a few losses to graduation and attrition; the line is still young, for one, and very reliant on the immediate impact of two JUCO recruits, one pegged for a starting role. The linebacker corps loses its most devastating producer. The secondary has young talent in reserve, but can we really trust these five starters to hold fast during Big Ten play? And what if the run defense sputters – can this secondary limit big plays downfield if Tim Banks needs to add support into the box? I have a sneaking suspicion that Illinois' defense will be an Achilles heel.

And then there's this: Despite the issues – the defense, the youth, the concerns about the coaching – Illinois could still take six, seven, even eight games during the regular season. Again, this is the program of unpredictability. Lunt is a keeper at quarterback. The backfield has the horses to grind out yards on the ground; the line is Beckman's best, though depth is in high demand. Perhaps Illinois scores enough points to offset the question marks on defense. A possibility? Absolutely. I'm just hesitant to get on the Illini's bandwagon. I call for a five-win season, with three in September, and a sixth-place finish in the West.

Dream season: Illinois goes 9-3, notching notable wins against Iowa and Nebraska, to finish second in the West Division.

Nightmare season: The Illini fall to 3-9, again beating only Purdue in Big Ten play.

UP NEXT:

Who's No. 83? This program scored more points during the final six games of 2010 than in all of last season.

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No. 128 UMass: The Minutemen have a new coach, Mark Whipple, but the same outlook on what should be a dismal 2014 season. Even in a Mid-American Conference without viable contenders outside the top four, UMass is a long shot to win more than one game during the regular season.
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No. 127 Florida International: One season after playing the worst football of its Football Bowl Subdivision existence, FIU attempts to rebound under second-year coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers would need to take three significant steps forward to merely contend in Conference USA.
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No. 126 Eastern Michigan: Chris Creighton steps into Ypsilanti and assumes one of the toughest coaching jobs in the country. The Eagles’ new coach will have a promising young quarterback to work with but not much else. It’s going to be another down season for EMU.
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No. 125 Georgia State: Georgia State is no longer the worst program in the country, which is a good start. Next, GSU must embrace Trent Miles’ approach on both sides of the ball while the staff adds talent on the recruiting trail. The future might still hold promise, but this year’s team is only slightly improved compared to last year’s version.
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No. 124 Georgia Southern: One of the nation’s newest Football Bowl Subdivision brings a history of success and last year’s win against Florida to the table. But Georgia Southern is still undergoing a coaching change while adapting to the heightened level of competition, two factors that set the bar low for 2014.
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No. 123 Hawaii: The goodwill has run out on Norm Chow, who has coached Hawaii through its worst two-year stretch in decades. To improve, the Warriors need to locate a quarterback and find a pulse on defense to match with the rest of the Mountain West Conference.
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No. 122 Miami (Ohio): A program built on a history of successful coaching hires now hands the reins to former Notre Dame assistant Chuck Martin. While he’s an upgrade on the sidelines, Martin is going to need at least two years to rebuild the RedHawks from the bottom up.
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No. 121 Idaho:
Paul Petrino’s fiery style and offensive mindset has fit well into the Vandals’ underdog mentality, but drive and hunger will only get you so far without the talent needed to win more than three games during the regular season. Idaho’s offense is better, but the team as a whole still lags. That talent took another hit on July 20 when Dezmon Epps (1) was kicked off the team in the wake of a DUI.
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No. 120 UAB: This program is excited about its potential under Bill Clark, who replaces Garrick McGee, but Clark has his hands full with a roster and program beaten down by a miserable decade. If the Blazers do exceed expectations, Clark’s ability to maximize his roster will be the cause.
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No. 119 Appalachian State: This program moves up a level after a surprisingly ineffective final year in the Football Championship Subdivision. To rebound, the Mountaineers need to rely on a pair of sophomores at quarterback and running back. While the promise is there, the first year could be ugly.
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No. 118 Army: Go Army, beat Navy. But first, the Cadets must prove they can beat any team on the 2014 schedule. A coaching change helps, but Todd Monken needs to roll up his sleeves and bring back some toughness to a program too accustomed to season-ending losses to the rival Midshipmen.
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No. 117 Western Michigan: P.J. Fleck and the Western Michigan staff can recruit, but can they coach? The jury’s still out after a 1-11 season, and even if talent is on the way it’s hard to imagine the new freshmen immediately reversing the Broncos’ slide to the bottom of the Mid-American Conference.
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No. 116 California: Cal’s shortage of talent, experience and depth makes the Golden Bears the weakest major-conference program in the country. Playing in the Pac-12 doesn’t help. In terms of a positive, Sonny Dykes has found his quarterback and has accumulated enough receivers to make this passing game work.
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No. 115 New Mexico State: The schedule will paint a better picture, but New Mexico State remains one of the weaker programs in the country. Even if the Aggies squeeze out four wins, they are devoid of the sort of difference-making talent to contend for a top-five finish in the Sun Belt Conference.
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No. 114 UTEP: The Miners need to remain healthy after a season ravaged by injuries. Second-year coach Sean Kugler can’t control injuries, but he’s on the hook for one of the worst defenses in college football. Helping matters is an offense led by quarterback Jameill Showers, but it won’t be enough.
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No. 113 Southern Mississippi: With a long losing streak over, the Golden Eagles can look forward to this fall on a high note. Optimism helps, but to regain a foothold in Conference USA the Eagles must do a better job protecting the football and limiting big plays on defense. The outlook is still pessimistic.
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No. 112 Kansas: Charlie Weis enters his third year at Kansas with little hope of bringing the Jayhawks out of the Big 12 cellar. The offense lacks skill players, has no help up front and a rookie at quarterback. The defense could be a nice story, but only if the pass rush improves. As is, KU is the weakest team in the league.
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No. 111 UNLV: The team must continue last year’s push without the opportunity to reach another bowl game, thanks to an NCAA postseason ban. While the talent is there, Bobby Hauck and the Rebels could struggle matching last season’s finish without any hopes of playing into December.
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No. 110 New Mexico: Three years after his arrival, Bob Davie has successfully added the depth needed to reach the postseason. But New Mexico’s questionable defense, shortage of experience on both sides of the ball and lack of balance on defense should prevent the Lobos from breaking through to six wins.
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No. 109 Tulane: The program's biggest issue will be the increased level of difficulty with the move from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference. Another concern is a roster that lacks the experience and proven production needed to run with teams like UCF, Cincinnati and Houston.
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No. 108 Purdue: This team is at least another full season away from being considered more than an afterthought in the Big Ten. One issue is talent: Purdue has none. Another is the feeling that this program is headed on a downturn due to years of coaching missteps and mismanagement.
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107 Kent State: With big gaps in the backfield and defensive tackle, Kent State will need a team effort to move back into bowl play. That won’t happen unless the offense locates a receiver, the defense lands a pass rush and the team as a whole lucks into one or two upset wins. The Golden Flashes are headed for a four-win season.
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No. 106 Old Dominion: ODU is the best first-year Football Bowl Subdivision program in recent history, if that means anything. What the Monarchs do well is move the ball offensively; what they do poorly is play defense. While Old Dominion has the foundation to eventually succeed, the first season is always the hardest.
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No. 105 Wake Forest: First-year coach Dave Clawson is familiar with rebuilding projects, which should come in handy as he takes over for Jim Grobe at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are too young to contend on either side of the ball against the best teams in the ACC, but things might need to get worse before they get better.
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No. 104 Kentucky: The Wildcats’ recruiting efforts yielded one of the nation’s best classes in February, but those incoming freshmen will need at least a season or two to get a taste of the Southeastern Conference. While Kentucky’s future remains bright, Mark Stoops and his staff need at least one more mulligan before being viewed by wins and losses. Look for more of the latter in 2014.
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No. 103 Wyoming: Landing one of the top Football Championship Subdivision coaches in history made this a successful offseason. Whether it’ll be a successful regular season depends on whether or not Craig Bohl can work miracles with this roster. Bohl’s a great hire, but no coach in the country could lead the Cowboys to the top of the Mountain West Conference.
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No. 102 Air Force: A down season led Air Force to recommit itself to competition. That should lead to the best 22 players starting on both sides of the ball, but it won’t be enough to totally overhaul a defense fresh off the worst season in program history. The Falcons should be happy with four or five wins.
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No. 101 Colorado: Colorado’s a four-win team in the Pac-12, one of two in the conference without a realistic hope of reaching bowl eligibility. That’s a negative, but the program’s recent growth points to a bright future. That breakthrough is coming in 2015, however.
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No. 100 SMU: The Mustangs need a jolt of energy after a sluggish 2013 season. Unfortunately, the offense lost its top receivers and the defense is dangerously young in the secondary. Combined, SMU looks like one of the bottom three teams in the American Athletic Conference.
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No. 99 Iowa State: The Mark Mangino-led offense might be good enough to steal an upset during Big 12 play, but the defense ensures another season of nine or more losses for the Cyclones. In total, Iowa State has the league’s worst defense from top to bottom.
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No. 98 Rutgers: This team is going to struggle at first in joining the Big Ten, if only due to a nasty schedule, but the real test will be whether or not the program can regain some footing and eventually challenge for footing in the East Division. When it comes to 2014, the Scarlet Knights are headed for eight losses.
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No. 96 Memphis: The coaching is in place, the losing mentality has been reversed and the roster has been rebuilt, but Memphis remains a year away from ending its long and painful absence from the postseason. One reason is a brutal schedule. Another is the lack of depth nearly across the board, which could cause the Tigers to fall apart if injuries are an issue during the second half.
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No. 95 Virginia: This program's defense might be good enough to lead the Cavaliers to four or five wins during the regular season, but a young offense and a general lack of confidence could doom 2014 before the start of ACC play. If UVa does again find itself at or near the bottom of the conference, the university might opt to make a coaching change.
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No. 94 Akron: If no longer the doormat of the Mid-American Conference, Akron remains a season away from reaching bowl eligibility under Coach Terry Bowden. While the Zips have talent and confidence, the lack of experience and depth will be an issue against the better teams on the 2014 schedule.
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No. 92 South Florida: Willie Taggart's blueprint for South Florida has been recruiting, as his latest class doubled as the best in the American Athletic Conference. But the team needs coaching; it needs leadership, conviction and a sense of identity, and it definitely needs a quarterback.
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No. 91 Texas State: Unsatisfied with six wins, Texas State spent the offseason installing an up-tempo offense and a new aggressive style on defense. In the long run, these changes will help the Bobcats get over the hump and contend for the Sun Belt Conference championship. In 2014, however, the Bobcats should struggle in the transition to the new philosophies.
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No. 90 Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers and Jeff Brohm begin play in Conference USA with a questionable passing game and nine new full-time starters on defense. While the Hilltoppers should be competitive in Conference USA, it should take a year for the program to solve its issues on both sides of the ball.
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No. 89 Arkansas: A dreadful passing game and holes on defense will doom
Arkansas to another losing season. Then there’s the schedule, which ranks among
the most difficult for any team in the country. The Razorbacks need at least
one more year before they make noise in the SEC West Division.
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No. 88 North Carolina State: The Wolfpack is counting on a collection of campus newcomers and a former star recruit turned transfer - Jacoby Brissett - for a turnaround in 2014.
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No. 85 Central Michigan:
Running back Saylor Lavallii (6) is one of the reasons the Chippewas are one of the most experienced teams in the MAC. But they also have questions at a number of positions, including quarterback.
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No. 84 Illinois:
Running back Donovonn Young (5) and the Fighting Illini tend to be unpredictable in their performance, but they have high hopes that solid quarterbacking will provide a quick reversal of fortune in 2014.
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No. 83 Tulsa:
End Brentom Todd and his teammates on the defensive side of the ball may have to carry a little extra load as the Golden Hurricane offense rights itself in 2014.
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No. 82 Nevada:Defensive end Rykeem Yates (55) and the Wolf Pack are aiming for a drastic improvement in run defense in 2014. And a return to the Nevada running game production of the past would help, too.
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No. 81 Boston College:
Eagles defensive back Sean Sylvia (19) is part of a secondary that needs to click quickly in 2014. But fortunately for B.C. other aspects of its team don't have a lot of questions, just growing expectations.
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No. 78 West Virginia:
The Mountaineers had a severely disappointing season in 2013, but with players with the talent of cornerback Daryl Worley dotting the roster, a turnaround in 2014 would not be surprising.
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No. 76 San Jose State:
Thomas Tucker (3) and San Jose State have the talent to contend for the Mountain West title, but the Spartans will have to resolve a big question at quarterback get a performance out of its new 4-3 defense that is worthy of its talent.
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No. 70: Middle Tennessee State
The Blue Raiders have perhaps Conference USA's best linebacker in T.T. Barber (38), but they will need to match their efficiency at stopping the run with their new commitment to an offensive run attack.
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No. 69 Indiana:
The Hoosiers have an overhauled receiving corps, but its offensive line and backfield led by Tevin Coleman (6) gives Indiana one of the Big Ten's best attacks for 2014.
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No. 67 Minnesota:
Though the Golden Gophers are strong on the run, quarterback Mitch Leidner (7) will need to get the passing game uncorked for the team to maximize its results this season.
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No. 66 Utah:
The Utes are unsettled at many positions, adding value to the steady performance provided by players such as Dres Anderson (6), a 1,000-yard receiver in 2013.
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No. 65 North Texas:
Antoinne Jimmerson (22) and teammates Reggie Pegram and Rex Rollins form a stout backfield for the Mean Green, which will rely on them heavily while sorting out its quarterback situation.
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